Brake adjuster



Jan. 20, 1931'. J. sNEED 1,789,392

BRAKE ADJUS TER Filed sept.- 6,` 1929 ZO/ 2/ Immlf gwvwntoz JOHN SNEE `Patented Jan. 20, 1931'.

UNITI-:D STATES PATENT oFr-'lcE JOHN SNEED, I FEBN DALE, MICHIGAN ASSIGNOR TO THE MIDLAND VSEIEIIEEI PMDUCXTS COMPANY, TBUSTEELOF J@LIEVE.'llrAlll'lJ, OHIO, A CORPORATION BRAKE Mosman Application med September 6, 1929. Serial No. 390,683.

vThis invention relates to lbrakes and more particularly to means for adjusting automotive brakes to compensate for wear and secure the proper braking action.

Automobi e brakes are subjected to very severe usage and it is necessary at certain intervals to adjust them to compensate for wear on the brake lining. It is well known practice to secure this adjustment by provid- 1o ing means for varying the elective length ofthe brake shoe to which the brake linin is attached; By such adjustment it is possible to control the clearance between the brake lining andthe brake drum and thus secure proper braking action of each brake of the vehicle.

In this specilication and in the accompanying drawings I have described and illustrated my improved brake adjuster as applied to a 20 brake of the single shoe self-energizing type but it'will be clear to those skilled in the art that my improvement may be readily applied to other types of brakes.

Among the objects of my invention are the provision of means for adjustin the e'ective circumferential length of a bra e shoe to secure the proper clearance between the shoe and the brake drum; the provision of a brake adjusting mechanism which will remain fixed at any particularadjustment but which may be easily actuated when it is desired to change the adjustment; the provision of a ybrake adjusting mechanism which is adapted to be economically manufactured and which is of rugged end eiiicient design. These and other ob ects of my invention will be clear from the following-description of a preferred embodiment of my improved brake adjuster, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims. a

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a brake equippedwith my adjusting mechanism; Fig. 2 is a section through my adjusting mechanism taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view -taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a detached view of the brake shoe shown in assembly in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detached view of the locking washer which holds my adjusting mechanism in the desired position ;4 Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

The brake illustrated in Fi 1 of the drawings is of the type fully descri ed and claimed in my copending United States patent appli- No. 347,515, filed March 16,

g a central aperture 3 through which the wheel carrying portion of the axle may extend. A brake drum is mounted on the wheel and is adapted' to enclose the brake shoe 1. The

axle, brake drum and wheel arenot shown in the drawings but may be of any suitable type. When the brake is in the oi position` the brake' lining 4, which is secured to the outer circumference of the shoe-1, is held out of Contact with the inner surface of the brake drum. Y When the brake is applied the move'- ment of the actuating pedal or lever is transmitted through suitable connections to the oft e shoe in such a manner that their movement expands the shoe. The brake lining is thus forced into contact with the brake drum and this force, together with the self-energizing effect which is a characteristic of the partoggxle arms 5 which are connected to the ends relation to it by the adjustable bifurcated extension member 10. The end of the adjustable member 10 also bears against the pin 8 on the opposite side from the end 7 of thev shoe 1. The pin 8 is lixed in the apron 2 and serves to transmit the braking torque from the shoe 1 to the apron 2 in well known manner. The spreading mechanism engages the shoe end 7 andthe member 10 so that adjustment of the brake does not eliect the spreading mechanism.

I prefer to form thel shoe in the manner and according to the process illustrated and described in m l copending application Serial No. 347,517, 'led March 16th, 1929. In'that application I have described how the shoe is rolled into a split ring 'having inwardly extending radial flanges of uniform depth and how thereafter certain portions of the flange are sheared away to lend flexibility to those portions. In the instant case, I have perfected the method and form of the shoe by shearing away all of the iange from a lpoint near the adjuster to a point a little beyond the mid portion of the shoe with the exception of one small part which is retained to form an eyelet forv the retractor spring.

The adjustable extension member 10 comprises a pair of plates 11 and 12 held together by suitable means, such as rivets, at one end and havingofl'set portions 11 and 12 adapted to it on either side of an inwardly extending flange 13 on the shoe 1. Longitudinally extending cylindrical depressions 14 and 15 are formed on the oiset ends or prongs 11 and 12 of the bifurcated adjusting member 10. A slot 16 having enlarged portions 17 is cut in the iange 13. The o'set portions 11 and 12 of the adjusting member 10 straddle the flan e 13 and are held in place'by a pin 18 whic passes through holes in the cylindrical portions 14 and 15 of the adjusting member 10V and also through the slot 16. A coil spring 19 lies in the cylindrical aperture formed by the depressions 14 and 15 in the adjusting member 10 and the slot 16. One end of the spring 19 bears against the end of the slot 16 and the other end bears against the pin 1 8. An adjusting screw 2O has a slotted end portion 20 which lits over the flange 13. The opposite end of the screw 20 passes through a washer 21, threaded adjusting nut 22 and a locking washer 23 and abut against the opposite side of thel pin 18 from the spring 19. The thrust washer 21, adjusting nut 22 and the locking washer 23 are disposed in the i enlarged portion 17 of the slet 16..

The spring 19 is of such length that it is always compressed a certain degree when it is in position and .therefore pushes against the pin 18 to hold it in contact with the end of the adjusting screw 20. It al/so serves to hold the adjustlngmember 10 "n its proper position as an extension of the sh e 1 by virtue of the fact that the spring 19 fits in the cylindrical aperture formed in the offset portions 11 and 12 and thus supports the adjusting member 10 against movement in a vertical plane except when it is moved by the nut 22.

The locking washer 23 as seen'in Fig. 5, has diametrically opposite slots cut in its periphery which slots are adapted to engage theflange 13 and prevent the washer from rotating. It is also provided with depressed portions 24 which may coact with depressions in the end of the adjusting nut 22 to hold the nut in any desired position. It will be seen that when the adjusting nutl 22 is turned the screw 20 will be moved in a direction either toward or away from the adjusting member 10 depending on which way the screw is rotated. If it is desired to increase the effective length of the shoe, the adjusting screw 22 will be turned in the direction which will cause the screw 20 to push against the pin 18 moving it in the slot 16, and with it the adjusting member 10. Conversely if it is desired to decrease the eli'ective length of the shoe 1 to give more clearance between the brake lining and the brake drum, the nut 22 will be turned in the opposite direction. This will cause the screw 20 to be moved away from the pin 18 and as this movement takes place the spring 19 will keep the pin- 18 in contact with the end of the screw 2O thus moving the adjusting member 10 in a direction to shorten the effective length of the shoe 1.

The coacting depressions on the nut 22 and washer 23 act as means. for indicating the degree of adjustment which has been made on the brake shoe as well as serving to lock the adjusting member in any desired position. The spring 6 which holds the brake shoe in its contracted position may be attached at one end to the end of the pin 18, as shown in the drawings, although this construction is not of paramount value to my improved adjusting mechanism.

I have-illustrated my inventionv as applied to but oneparticular type of automotive brake but it will beclear to those skilled in the art that it may be readily adapted for adjusting the effective length of brake shoes ofl other types of brakes than the specific form illustrated, and I do not wish to be limited in any way other than by the claims appended hereto. l

I claim :4-

1. In a brake, the combination of a shoe having an inwardly extending lange, an adjuster for changing the effective length of said shoe having a slot in which said flange lits, screw means for moving said adjuster 1n one direction and spring means for moving said adjuster in the opposite direction when said screw means is released. f

2. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a brake shoe having an inwardly extending flange, an adjusting member adapted tol engage said extend circumferentially beyond one end of said shoe, and screw means adapted when turned in one direction to move said adjusting member to increase the effective length of said shoe and when turned in the op osite directionto allow said vadjusting member to be moved to decrease the effective length o said shoe. l

flange and to Illfl Vio 3. In a brake, the combination of a brake shoe having a iiange rejecting inwardly therefrom a slot in sai flange an adjustin member a a ted to e age said flange, a in extending t rough said adjusting mem er and said slot, ascrew disposed in said slot and adapted to engageone side of said pin, a spring in said slot adapted to be held in compression between the o posite side of said pin and one end of saiffslot and a nut on said screw adapted when rotated to move said screw and said adjusting member to cllliange the eiective length of said brake s oe.

4. A brake adjusting member a pair of plates secured together and having spaced oiset ortions at their opposite ends', said space offset portions having longitudinally extendin vdepressions firming a cylindrical aperture etween said p ates.

5. A brake adjusting member having a bifurcated end comprising vat one end a depressed portion extending longitudine 1y from the ends of said prongs.

6. Apparatus for adjusting the eective length of a brake shoe comprising a slotted iiange extending inwardl from said shoe and attached thereto, a bi urcated adjusting member disposed with its prongs on opposite sides of said iiange, means for maintaining said adjusting member Vin slidable relation to sai ange, and screw and sprin controlled regulating means for moving sai adjusting member to increase or decrease the effective length ofsaid brake shoe. Y

7. Apparatus for adj g the effective comprising a slotted length of a brake shoe iiange extending inwardly from saidshoe and attached thereto, a bifurcated adjusting member, means for maintaining furcated member in position with its ron on opposite sides of said flange and s idable longitudinali means for sli length of said shoe and spring means for sliding said adjusting means` longitudinallg of 8. Apparatus for varying the length of a brake shoe comprising a ange on said shoe, a coactin adjusting member slidably secured to said's oe, a screw adapt 'd to move said adjustingmember in one spring adapted to move said adjusting member in the opposite directie 9. In combination a shoe having a radial slotted ange; an adjustin member having parts engagin opposite si es of said iange, a pin carrie by said ing said pin.

portion the prongs of saidk A bifurcated portion eacli havi said bii of the slot therein, screw g said adjusting means lon tudinally of said slot to increase the eiective an adjuster having irection and a member extending through said flange and screw means engag- 10. In combination a brake shoe having i DISCLAIMER 1,789,392.-John Sneed, Ferndale', Mich. BRAKE AD'JUsTER. Patent dated January 20, 1931.` Dlsolalmer filed June 3, 1935, by the patentee, and the assignee,

The Midland Steel Products Company, as trustee for Steeldraalz' Brake Oori poration.

Hereby disclaim from the aforesaid'patent claims*- Nos. 1 and 2. which are in the following Words, to Wit:

1. 1n a brake, the combination of a shoe having an inwardly extendingflange, an adjuster for changing the effective length of said shoe having a slot in which said -ilange fits; screw means for moving said adjuster in one direction and spring means for moving sald adjuster 1n the opposite dlrectlon when sa1d screw means 1s released.

2. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a brake shoe having an inwardly extending flange, an adjusting member adapted to engage said iiange,

and to extend circumferentially beyond one end of said shoe, and screw means adapted when turned in one direction to move said adjusting member to increase the effective length of said shoe and when turned in the opposite direction to' allow said adjusting member to be moved to decrease the eiective length of said shoe.

[Oficial Gazette June 25, 1935.] 

